Malaysia's Anwar denies aide's sodomy complaint

Malaysia's de facto Opposition Leader, Anwar Ibrahim, has denied allegations that he had sodomised an aide, saying the charges were an attempt by the Government to curb his rise to power.

A former deputy premier who was sacked in 1998 and later jailed for sodomy and corruption, Mr Anwar has seen a revival of his fortunes since a March poll when the opposition alliance recorded its best ever election result.

Mr Anwar said a police report lodged against him by his private assistant, Saiful Bahari, was an attempt by the ruling Barisan Nasional Coalition to discredit him.

"The police report lodged against me earlier today is a complete fabrication," Mr Anwar said in a statement.

Lawyer Sivarasa Rasiah said Mr Anwar had not been arrested.

A Kuala Lumpur police spokesman declined to comment and the Home Minister in charge of the police, Syed Hamid Albar, was not immediately available for comment.

Mr Anwar has always said the earlier sodomy and corruption charges were trumped up after he fell out with then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Mr Anwar's opposition alliance has been snapping at the heels of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's Government as public anger against rising prices and the ruling Coalition's dismal showing in the March poll fuel calls for a change in leadership.